Michelin Logo

Michelin LogoMichelin Logo PNG

The company’s visual mark seems to come alive and speak to the customer. The Michelin logo demonstrates the tire manufacturer’s friendliness, broad customer support, and willingness to create the most convenient conditions for cooperation.

Michelin: Brand overview

Michelin is the second-largest manufacturer of wheel tires and rims for cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and trucks. It was founded in May 1889 and is based in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Its founders are brothers Edouard and André Michelin, owners of a rubber factory.

Meaning and History

Michelin Logo History

For many years of its existence, the brand changed its logo several times but always remained faithful to its mascot. This is a hand-drawn little man named Bibendum, made up of tires of different sizes. He appeared thanks to the vivid image of the founders of the company, who, in 1894, at an exhibition in Lyon, noticed the resemblance of a stack of tires with a man who lacks only hands. Four years later, the brothers decided to design their own logo. They took the O’Galop beer logo as a basis, replaced the giant with their tire man, and left the phrase “Nunc est Bibendum” unchanged.

What is Michelin?

It’s a French company that makes tires and wheels for everything from bicycles to airplanes. It is also known for its Culinary Star Rating, which honors the world’s best chefs and restaurants for their culinary excellence. The company came into existence in 1889 and was founded in Clermont-Ferrand by the Michelin brothers, Edouard and André, who were owners of a rubber factory.

1889 – 1925

Michelin Logo 1889

At the beginning of its history, even before the iconic Bibendum mascot appeared, Michelin used a logo resembling a flyer. It looked like a horizontal rectangle with a border decorated with branches and leaves of a rubber tree. The choice of floral ornamentation is explained by the fact that in the early years of its existence, Michelin was a company producing rubber from rubber. This, by the way, was indicated in the top line above the brand name. The bottom half contained many other inscriptions, including “CLERMONT-FERRAND” (the city where the company was founded). All of the text was presented in French. The designers chose different fonts for the different phrases, both serif and sans serif. The most original was the set of glyphs used for the word “Michelin.”

1936 – 1968

Michelin Logo 1936-1968

The debut logo features the brand’s mascot. He is running after a tire on a road formed by the outstretched leg of the letter “n” from the brand name. The word “Michelin” is placed diagonally on the side.

1968 – 1997

Michelin Logo 1968-1997

During this period, the developers used the brand name of the logo, so it turned out simple and minimalistic. Letters of strict geometric shape, wide, smooth, and uppercase, are located at a minimum distance from each other.

1997 – 2017

Michelin Logo 1997-present

Michelin Logo 1997-2017

Since then, the brand has finally brought Bibendum back into its logo, making it friendly. Next to it, the word “Michelin” appeared on a blue background. In parallel, in 1997, another variant appeared – in the form of a slanted company name. It is also used to this day, harmoniously complementing the graphic sign.

2017 – today

Michelin Logo 2017-present

Currently, there are two versions of the emblem with the brand mascot. They depict a joyfully smiling man who waves his hand in a welcoming manner. Underneath it is the word “Michelin”. In one modification, there is a yellow line; in the other – blue.

Font and Colors

Michelin Emblem

The mascot of the company received the status of a world “ambassador” of the famous manufacturer of tires and disks. Bibendum introduces new products, consults, and helps customers.

Several designers worked on the logo at different times, and each of them offered a different interpretation. As a result, Bibendum evolved from a beer character to a product selection manager.

Michelin Symbol

In the current version, the name of the trademark is written in solid italics – San Serif font. All letters are capitalized. The color palette of the emblem is monotonous: until 1997, it was black and white, and then blue color appeared in it. Recently, designers have added a light yellow color.

Michelin color codes

Medium Persian BlueHex color:#0060ae
RGB:0 96 174
CMYK:100 45 0 32
Pantone:PMS 300 C
Middle YellowHex color:#ffe600
RGB:255 230 0
CMYK:0 10 100 0
Pantone:PMS 803 C
BlackHex color:#000000
RGB:0 0 0
CMYK:0 0 0 100
Pantone:PMS Process Black C

FAQ

What does the Michelin logo represent?

The Michelin logo depicts the company’s mascot – an anthropomorphic character named Bibendum, in shape resembling a stack of tires of different sizes. In the modern version, he is half depicted and waving his hand over the brand name, separated by a yellow stripe.

Why is the Michelin logo white?

The Michelin logo is white to better distinguish the outline of the tires that make up the Bibendum mascot. In addition, this color does not inspire fear like black, so the emblem looks attractive, attracting more customers. In addition to white, the emblem features yellow (dividing line) and blue (manufacturer’s name) colors.